Isle of Dogs at Oak Island

11/02/2026

Help Safari.

Hi, I'm Safari, and I have a question for you.
I've been waiting for a family for almost a year now. My foster mom (the crazy lady who posts me everywhere) says I check every single box, so honestly, I don't understand what's taking so long. Let me tell you about my glow up.
I used to be a horrible teenager. Now I'm a well behaved young dog.
I used to have heartworms. Now I'm completely free of them.
I used to have, well, certain parts. Now I'm fixed, so no surprise puppies from this guy.
I used to be rough around the edges. Now I'm all kisses.
I used to let toys bonk me right in the head. Now I catch them midair and make my foster mom laugh every time.
I used to not know how to jump. Now I'm a pro at hopping up on boxes.
I used to bark at everyone. Now I just want to be with everyone, but nobody picks me.
Here's my resume:�Fully vetted�Neutered�Housebroken�Crate trained�Leash trained�Gets along with calm dogs, but I'd really love to be the only pup so I can soak up all your attention
So what's wrong with me? My foster mom says absolutely nothing. I just haven't met my people yet.
I don't need much. A soft spot to sleep, someone to toss me a toy, and a family that's mine forever. I promise to pay you back in kisses and very impressive catches.
Could it be you? Please share me so my family can find me.
To adopt Safari, contact us!
Charlotte NC

11/02/2026

Hi, I'm Safari, and I have a question for you.

I've been waiting for a family for almost a year now. My foster mom (the crazy lady who posts me everywhere) says I check every single box, so honestly, I don't understand what's taking so long. Let me tell you about my glow up.

I used to be a horrible teenager. Now I'm a well behaved young dog.

I used to have heartworms. Now I'm completely free of them.

I used to have, well, certain parts. Now I'm fixed, so no surprise puppies from this guy.

I used to be rough around the edges. Now I'm all kisses.

I used to let toys bonk me right in the head. Now I catch them midair and make my foster mom laugh every time.

I used to not know how to jump. Now I'm a pro at hopping up on boxes.

I used to bark at everyone. Now I just want to be with everyone, but nobody picks me.

Here's my resume as 3 year old mixed breed:

Fully vetted
Neutered
Housebroken
Crate trained
Leash trained
Gets along with calm dogs, but I'd really love to be the only pup so I can soak up all your attention that I never had leaving on a short chain all my life!

So what's wrong with me?

My foster mom says absolutely nothing other than my FARTS. I just haven't met my people yet.

I don't need much. A soft spot to sleep, someone to toss me a toy, and a family that's mine forever. I promise to pay you back in kisses and very impressive catches.

Could it be you?

Please share me so my family can find me.

Please comment, share and like.

Charlotte, Nc

10/31/2026

Vacation with your dogs, to one of the FEW places that allows this pack :)

HAPPY HOWL OWEEN

10/31/2026

This is a Hail Mary for a dog who desperately needs people in his corner.

He’s a pit bull, and the shelter photo makes him look intimidating. Until recently, this shelter didn’t even allow dogs like him to be adopted. Few rescues pull from there, and he’s high heartworm positive. Even though he’s very dog-friendly, all of that makes his chances heartbreakingly slim.

He needs pledges to help a rescue say yes, and people willing to share his story far and wide. Networking may be his only shot.

Will you help give him a chance?

“Rescue Only Needed for Bubba

Bubba is a 5-year-old, approximately 60-pound intact male Pit Bull who came to the shelter after showing up in a finder’s yard. Unfortunately, no one ever came forward to claim him, and now he is looking for a rescue to give him a second chance. Bubba has been very friendly with other dogs and did well during his temperament test. He is heavy heartworm positive and will need a committed rescue to help him receive the veterinary care and treatment he needs.

Bubba deserves the chance to leave the shelter behind and start a new chapter with someone willing to give him a chance. Bubba has received his DHPP, BORDETELLA AND RABIES VACCANATIONS. He has a $25 pull fee and must have commitment by November 5th, 2026. Please email all questions and commitments to [email protected] —- Union county nc”

10/29/2026

**Vacation rental that welcomes all dogs need dog lovers’ help**

Six years ago I set out to build something you almost never find in a vacation rental, a place where your whole pack is truly welcome. Not one small dog. Not "pets considered." Every dog.

Since then, Isle of Dogs and Dog Mountain have hosted hundreds of dogs. Big dogs, senior dogs, rescues, fosters, and families traveling with up to six dogs at once. No breed bans, no size limits, no "one small dog only." Good luck finding that anywhere else. It is rare, and it is the whole reason we exist.

Now Airbnb is making it harder and harder for places like ours to survive. But with your help, we can keep the doors open.

**WHAT AIRBNB JUST CHANGED**
Airbnb announced new rules that limit what hosts can ask of guests. They are restricting when we can require a rental agreement (which North Carolina law requires), stopping us from keeping a copy of a guest's ID, and cutting back the house rules we are allowed to set.

That might work for a standard rental. It does not work for a home that says yes to every dog.

**HOUSE RULES ARE WHAT MAKE "EVERY DOG WELCOME" POSSIBLE**
Picking up the p**p in the yard, keeping wet dogs out of the house, letting us know about accidents, keeping the property in good condition. These things are the difference between a great stay and a home that cannot be turned over in time for the next family.

Cleaners willing to take on homes with multiple dogs are already hard to find. Ours stay because our guests work with us. Without house rules, I lose my cleaners. Without cleaners, there is no Pawcation.

**WHY WE ASK FOR AN AGREEMENT AND ID**
North Carolina requires a rental agreement, and I follow the law. And when I open my doors to families with several dogs at a time, I need to know who is staying and have a signed agreement that protects the home. That is not distrust. That is how a responsible small business survives.

**THE HOTEL TEST**
Can you check into a hotel without showing ID? No.
Can you stay without agreeing to their terms? No.
Will they charge you for damage or an unauthorized pet? Yes.

Hotels get to protect their property. Hosts are being told to hand over the keys and hope for the best.

**AND THEN THERE ARE THE FEES**
Airbnb raised its host fee from 3% to 15.5%, more than five times what we used to pay, and it comes out of everything we charge, even the cleaning fee.

Vrbo followed. Starting October 29, Vrbo's commission jumps from 5% to 12%, more than double, and guests still pay a service fee on top.

Small owners cannot absorb that. We have mortgages, taxes, insurance, repairs, and cleaners to pay. So rates go up, you pay more, and the platforms keep more.

**THE BOTTOM LINE**
Airbnb has spent years making decisions without listening to the hosts who built it. Every new rule squeezes out the small, one of a kind places, the ones willing to do what nobody else will. Places like ours.

Airbnb can change its rules. It cannot change where you book.

**HERE'S HOW YOU HELP**
Book direct. When you find a listing you love, look up the property or company name, find their own website, and book there. You deal directly with the people who care about the home, and you skip the platform markup.

**BOOK DIRECT WITH PAWCATION AND BRING THE WHOLE PACK.**

Please share this with every dog lover you know. 🐾

Comment here and PM us for links 🙂

FB doesn’t like when we share links here on I. Comments 😞

10/27/2026

**Big dogs. Old dogs. Bully breeds. Rescues. Pack.

Turned away almost everywhere. Welcomed home at ours.**

And Airbnb is making it harder every month to keep our doors open to them.

Six years ago I set out to create something you almost never find in vacation rentals, a place where your WHOLE pack is truly welcome. Since then, hundreds of dogs have stayed with us at Isle of Dogs and Dog Mountain.

We don't discriminate. No breed bans. No weight limits. No "one small dog only." We have welcomed families traveling with up to six dogs, big dogs, senior dogs, rescues, fosters, and everything in between. If your dog has ever been the reason you got told no, this is where you get told yes. Good luck finding anything like it!

Why dog families keep coming back

• We don't discriminate, no breed bans, no weight limits, no "one small dog only"
• Up to six dogs welcome, big dogs, senior dogs, rescues, fosters, and everything in between
• One floor living, so no stairs for senior pups or dogs with tired legs
• Fully fenced yard, so your dogs can run and play safely
• Crates already on site, no need to haul your own
• Every detail designed with dogs in mind, from the floors to the furniture

**WHAT CHANGED**
Airbnb just announced new rules that limit what hosts can ask of guests. They restrict when we can require a rental agreement, stop us from keeping a copy of a guest's ID, and cut back the house rules we are allowed to set.

These rules might work for a standard rental. They do not work for a home that welcomes every dog. Finding cleaners willing to turn over a dog friendly home is already hard, and the ones we have stay because our guests work with us. Because we have rules and guests that follow them!

**WHY HOUSE RULES MATTER**
When you welcome multiple dogs of every size, house rules are not optional. Picking up the yard, keeping wet dogs out of the house, letting us know about accidents, using the dog towels, these simple things are the difference between a great stay and a home that cannot be turned over in time. Without house rules, I lose my cleaners. Without cleaners, there is no Pawcation.

**WHY AN AGREEMENT AND ID MATTER**
North Carolina law requires a rental agreement, and I follow it. I am opening my doors to families with several dogs at a time. I need to know who is staying in my homes, and I need a signed agreement that protects the property. That is not distrust, that is how a responsible small business survives.

**THE HOTEL STANDARD**
Can you check into a hotel without showing ID? No.
Can you stay without agreeing to their terms? No.
Will they charge you for damage or an unauthorized pet? Yes.

Hotels get to protect their property. Hosts are being told to hand over the keys and hope for the best.

**THE FEES**
On top of the new rules, the platforms keep taking a bigger cut.
Airbnb moved hosts like us from a 3% fee to 15.5%, taken out of everything we charge, including the cleaning fee.
Vrbo is following. Starting October 29, its commission jumps from 5% to 12%, and guests still pay a service fee on top.
Small owners cannot absorb this. We have mortgages, taxes, insurance, repairs, and cleaners to pay. So rates go up, you pay more, and the platforms keep more.

**WHAT THIS MEANS**
Every new rule pushes out the small, one of a kind places, the ones that do what nobody else will. Places like ours. And the dogs who get turned away everywhere else are the ones who lose. We need help!!!

**WHAT YOU CAN DO**
If you travel with your dogs, book direct! Look up the property or company name from any listing, find their own website, and book there. You deal with the people who actually care about the home, and you skip the platform markup.

**BOOK DIRECT WITH US. Your whole pack is waiting.**

Please share this with every dog lover you know. PM us and we will send you information on our places as algorithm does not like links!

10/26/2026

Six years ago I set out to create something you almost never find in vacation rentals, a place where your whole pack is truly welcome. Since then, our rentals have hosted hundreds of dogs at Isle of Dogs and Dog Mountain.

We don't discriminate. No breed bans and no "one small dog only." We have welcomed families traveling with up to six dogs, big dogs, senior dogs, rescues, fosters, and everything in between. Hundreds of dogs have stayed with us. That is rare, and it is the whole reason we exist. GOOD luck finding comparable properties!

And now Airbnb is making it harder and harder for hosts like me to keep doing what we do!

WHAT CHANGED
Airbnb just announced new rules that limit what hosts can ask of guests. They are restricting when we can require a rental agreement (required in NC), stopping us from keeping a copy of a guest's ID, and cutting back the house rules we are allowed to set.
These rules might work for a standard rental. They do not work for a home that welcomes every dog like we do! We already struggle with cleaners that will even want to clean for us and they only do it because we have great guests that work with us on rules.

WHY HOUSE RULES MATTER
When you welcome multiple dogs of every size, house rules are not optional. They are what keep the home clean, safe, and ready for the next family and their dogs. Picking up the yard, keeping wet dogs outside of the house, letting us know about accidents, helping with dog towels, these simple things are the difference between a great stay and a home that cannot be turned over in time. Without house rules, I lose my cleaners. Without cleaners, there is no Pawcation.

WHY AN AGREEMENT AND ID MATTER
North Carolina law requires a rental agreement, and I follow it. On top of that, I am opening my doors to families with several dogs at a time. I need to know who is staying in my homes, and I need a signed agreement that protects the property. That is not distrust, that is how a responsible business survives.

THE HOTEL STANDARD
Can you check into a hotel without showing ID? No.
Can you stay without agreeing to their terms? No.
Will they charge you for damage or an unauthorized pet? Yes.
Hotels are allowed to protect their property. Hosts are being told to hand over the keys and hope for the best.

THE FEES
On top of the new rules, the platforms keep taking a bigger cut.
Airbnb raised its host fee from 3% to 15.5%. That is more than five times what we used to pay, and it comes out of everything we charge, including the cleaning fee.
Vrbo followed. Starting October 29, Vrbo raises its commission from 5% to 12%, more than double, and guests still pay a service fee on top of that.
Small owners cannot absorb this. We have mortgages, taxes, insurance, repairs, and cleaners to pay. So nightly rates go up to cover the platforms' cut, and in the end, you pay more and the platforms keep more.

WHAT THIS MEANS
Airbnb has been making decisions for years without listening to the hosts who built it. Every new rule pushes out the small, unique places, the ones that do something nobody else will. Places like ours.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
If you love traveling with your dogs, please book direct. Look up the property or company name from any listing, find their own website, and book there. You deal directly with the people who care about the home, and you skip the platform markup.

BOOK DIRECT WITH US!!!

Please share this with every dog lover you know.

Pet-friendly vacation rental in Oak Island, NC.

10/26/2026

Thank you so much for sending these! I’ve started him on the food and medication, but he’s still not doing great.

Thanks to your help, he’s been to the vet twice and has all of these supplies.

We’re still struggling with his liquid p**p, especially his second p**p of the day, and he has a lot of very stinky gas.

If you live in Charlotte, I could really use help sharing his story and taking him on day outings. We’ve been helping him for nine months, and we need to find him a forever home. He’s getting very attached to us, but we aren’t able to keep him. He can’t be around my reactive dog, so keeping them separated is stressful, especially with the kids, my mom who has Parkinson’s, and our two dogs at home.

PS: He KILLED BED x2 so that’s what that picture is about lol

10/24/2026

Many of the dogs I help never know I was involved. A lot of my rescue work happens behind the scenes, trying to connect dogs with rescues that can take them in. The rescue is the one making the commitment, and my part may seem small, but sometimes it makes all the difference.

Two wonderful dogs were being offered for free on a first-come, first-served basis. They weren’t fixed or up to date on their shots, so I begged to get them into a rescue. Greater Charlotte SPCA said yes right away. What the owner didn’t tell me was that one of the dogs couldn’t walk.

Luccas needed surgery on both knees. I keep thinking about what might have happened to him if the rescue hadn’t stepped up. I’m so grateful they did, but I also feel awful knowing the surgery came with such a huge bill.

Rescues can’t keep saving dogs without donations. Adoption fees often don’t cover basic vet care and spay or neuter surgery, let alone an unexpected, major operation like this one. Now the rescue is facing a significant expense because they chose to give Luccas the care he needed.

Please consider donating directly to the rescue to help with his surgery. Let me know if you donate so I can keep track of the support.

I know people often focus on dogs who are already in danger of being euthanized. But what about the dogs who could end up in that situation if a rescue isn’t there to step in?

Please watch Luccas’s video in the comments.

10/21/2026

"FINAL PLEA FOR BIG MAC. ONE WEEK LEFT. URGENT RESCUE NEEDED.

Big Mac is fading on the shelter floor.
Every day, it gets a little harder for him to stand. A little harder to walk. A little harder to keep going. This gentle senior boy has spent eight years in this world, and now he spends his days on a cold, hard kennel floor that makes every movement more painful than the last.
We don’t know if his back end weakness is arthritis, an old injury, or something else. What we do know is that he is struggling, and he cannot heal here. It isn’t fair to keep asking him to wait for a recovery that this place simply cannot give him.
Big Mac has ONE WEEK to find a rescue.
He doesn’t ask for much. A soft bed. A vet who can find out what’s wrong. A quiet place where he can finally rest his tired body and feel safe. After everything, isn’t that the least he deserves?
Please, rescues, can someone step up for this sweet old boy?
8 year old male Mastiff mix
80 lbs
Heartworm negative
Dog friendly, gentle, and easygoing
Hind end lameness and declining mobility
Please watch his video in the comments. Look into his eyes and you’ll see a dog who is still hoping.
We know rescues are overwhelmed. We know there are so many dogs who need help. But Big Mac is running out of time, and we cannot save him alone. Please don’t let his golden years end on a shelter floor."
RESCUES: [email protected] ---- Chesterfield, SC -----